Romance
by DezoPenguin
Summary: Subaru and Seishiro have barely had the chance to adapt to life as a couple, when their relationship is complicated by a murder investigation and a new man in Hokuto's life.
1. Chapter 1

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the third and last of the three TB fics I wrote nine years ago. For this one, I let my inner fangirl take over (I think everyone who's a Tokyo Babylon fan has an inner fangirl even if, like me, they're male) and wrote it as a story where Subaru and Seishiro are a couple. But, since I'm a mildly obsessive nut for canon, I managed to find a way to squeeze it into the timeline...okay, a very distorted timeline, but nonetheless this entire story takes place between the last panel of page 159 and the first panel of page 160 of the TOKYOPOP edition of manga volume 6!_

Hokuto Sumeragi whistled happily as she strolled along the busy Shinjuku street. She caught the attention of more than one passer-by, but the pretty sixteen-year-old didn't care. Hokuto's exuberant and generous personality was all but irrepressible under normal circumstances; today, she was far too happy to hold it inside herself. Her twin brother, Subaru, had finally fallen in love! Subaru had always been the self-sacrificing type, who would do all he could to insure that other people would be happy but never gave a thought to his own self-interest. It was so good, Hokuto thought, to see her little brother doing something that brought him joy.

It was also good, of course, to have her own instincts proven right. From the first moment she had met the handsome veterinarian, Seishiro Sakurazuka, she had been of two minds about him. There was something about him that teased at the edge of her subconscious, something dark and dangerous that didn't match up with the light-hearted, teasing man that Seishiro seemed to be. It was something more than just his name, which called up images of the assassin group "Sakurazukamori," an ominous force that the Sumeragi clan had confronted in the past. Hokuto was certain of that...Even so, in the eleven months she had known Seishiro, she still hadn't been able to completely pin down her feelings, or identify what caused them.

The flip side of that coin, though, was that Hokuto had been completely sure, from the instant she had laid eyes on Seishiro, that this was someone who could get Subaru to take down the barriers he had built around his own heart. That was why, despite the danger signs, Hokuto had not attempted to drive the two of them apart, but had instead actively encouraged the relationship. The fact that Subaru and Seishiro were both men had been, at best, a secondary concern, and one quickly dismissed as irrelevant (except, of course, for entertainment value; she loved to tease Subaru about it, just to see him stammer and blush -- what were big sisters for, after all?).

"Whoops," Hokuto said aloud, "I got so busy thinking that I walked right past Sei-chan's clinic." She turned, dashed back past four storefronts, and pulled open the door to Seishiro's veterinary offices. "I'm back!" she called cheerily. "After all, if I'm gone too long, you two will get up to something dirty!"

Subaru turned beet red. The two twins looked exactly alike, despite the fact that biologically it was impossible for identical twins to be of mixed gender. Brother and sister had the same pretty face, the same wide green eyes, the same short, boyishly-cut black hair. Perhaps oddly, Hokuto was the daring and assertive one, while Subaru was shy and gentle.

"H--Hokuto-chan!"

"Ah, your sister has caught us out, hasn't she, Subaru-kun?" Seishiro was tall and handsome, with a low-pitched smooth voice. His eyes were a bit startling, the left a soft, rich brown while the right was blank, a milky blue film covering the iris. He had lost the sight in that eye when he had stepped in front of Subaru to defend him from a woman who had temporarily gone insane, and was slashed with a knife for his pains. Ironically, it had been that incident that had led to Subaru realizing his true feelings for the older man.

"Seishiro-san!" Subaru blushed even more hotly.

Seishiro shook his head sadly.

"Even now he's still such an innocent. Of course, that's one of the things that is so cute about him!"

Hokuto laughed, and hopped up into a chair, setting several bags down on the counter.

"Well, as a good sister, I shall come to his rescue. Lunch is served!"

"McDonald's, I see," Seishiro observed.

"You did give me complete discretion!" Hokuto noted.

Seishiro smiled wryly. "Well, I was a bit occupied with the mother akita at the time."

"Precisely!" the elder Sumeragi twin exclaimed triumphantly. "I believe your exact words were, I'm afraid I won't have time to go for lunch with you today, Subaru-kun,' at which point I, like the loyal sister I am, jumped in and offered to go get lunch and bring it back here." She frowned suddenly. "You and Subaru really need to put some more imagination into your dates. All you ever do is eat! I swear, you two are getting fat! Why don't you take Subaru to a motel?"

Subaru choked on his hamburger.

"Never mind, Sei-chan, I think I know why," she grumbled. Really, Subaru needed to take control of his own life. He was a man in love, the object of his affections loved him back, so what was he waiting for?

Seishiro picked up his strawberry milkshake and sipped. "I really don't want to rush things, you know. I'm still trying to convince Subaru-kun that I accept his feelings for me."

Hokuto stole several of Seishiro's french fries and began munching.

"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed between mouthfuls. "How is the akita doing?"

Seishiro chuckled.

"As well as can be expected for someone who just had six children."

"You should have seen the puppies, Hokuto-chan!" Subaru put in happily. "They were so cute!" Subaru loved animals; in fact, he wanted to be a zoo breeder if he could find a successor capable of assuming his responsibilities as head of the Sumeragi family.

"Where? I want to see!" Hokuto exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

Seishiro smiled at her. "They're in the second room in the back; my assistant is with them. Be careful; they're much too young to be picked up or played with."

Hokuto nodded.

"Don't worry, Sei-chan." She hopped off the seat, grabbed Seishiro's entire package of fries, and darted off towards the back of the clinic.

Seishiro sat quietly, watching the young man across from him.

"You know, Subaru-kun, your sister is right."

"About what?"

"Our dates."

"Seishiro-san..."

Seishiro smiled warmly. He had three different smiles, Subaru had noticed. One was the teasing smile, that seemed to light up his face with laughter. This one was different; it was an intense smile that communicated affection and caring.

The third smile Subaru didn't see very often, and was glad of it.

"I don't mean about taking you to a motel, of course," he said with a faint chuckle. "Not that I wouldn't enjoy such a thing," he inserted with a wink of his sightless eye, "but that I can wait for. No, what I was thinking was that there are many places in this Tokyo that are perfect for a couple in love to go to share their feelings. Places of beauty, where you cannot see all the unpleasantness your work exposes you to, and impressive places where you can see what humans have been able to do that is positive."

"Seishiro-san...I...that sounds wonderful."

Seishiro reached across the counter and covered Subaru's gloved hand with his bare one.

"It's a date then? This Thursday...you'll let me pick the spot, Subaru-kun? Place yourself in my hands?"

Subaru nodded, smiling shyly. There was a curious light in his bright eyes that Seishiro had never seen before, something hinting at deep feelings. It intrigued Seishiro that he was capable of inspiring that kind of emotion in someone else. He might have said something more, or perhaps Subaru might have, but the moment was broken forever by the chime signalling that the door was being pulled open.

"Pardon me," the newcomer said, looking around, "but is Dr. Sakurazuka here?"

Seishiro stood smoothly, crossing the room to stand next to the man. Unlike Seishiro, this man was of average height for a Japanese, slightly overweight, hair iron-gray and slicked back. There was something about him that indicated power, but also a certain softness, something that no one that made ultimate decisions, whether political, military, financial, ever had. Ultimate responsibility hammered softness out of a person. One could be honest, or kind, or merciful and still retain power, but someone who was weak soon became a figurehead, or was ousted. Seishiro estimated that this man was some kind of middle manager, with some level of control but largely deriving his authority from the greater organization he was part of.

"I'm Dr. Sakurazuka," he stated.

"Ahh, forgive me, Sakurazuka-san." He reached into a pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and mopped his brow free of the heavy perspiration that dotted it. It wasn't that hot out; apparently the man was extremely nervous about something. Seishiro thought of Subaru, who watched with idle interest. "My name is Eiji Sakamoto, of the World Pacific International Corporation." He handed Seishiro his card. "I know this must seem like a strange request, but I have heard that Subaru Sumeragi, of the Sumeragi clan of onmyouji, is a friend of yours and often can be found here."

Seishiro raised one eyebrow, the one over his blind eye, naturally. He hadn't known that he was filed away in places under the heading, "known associates of Subaru Sumeragi," though he supposed it was a reasonable consequence of spending time with someone like Subaru, who became known to many organizations with power and importance. It still disturbed him, however. Seishiro valued his privacy highly, and he would have to do something about the intrusion.

"You're in luck, Sakamoto-san," Seishiro said, mostly so Subaru wouldn't have to introduce himself and therefore admit that he had overheard the two men's conversation. Subaru was like that; he hated to be impolite. "Subaru-kun is here right now." He stepped back to allow Sakamoto to pass, and indicated where Subaru was sitting.

"You're Subaru Sumeragi?" he asked, surprised, as many were, by Subaru's age.

"I am," Subaru said, getting to his feet. "Good afternoon, Sakamoto-san; it is good to meet you," he greeted the man politely.

"Y--yes, good afternoon." Obviously, Seishiro estimated, this salaryman had been taken aback by Subaru's appearance and had lost confidence in him -- a foolish way to judge people, but then Eiji Sakamoto was almost certainly a fool in more ways than one. Too, Sakamoto was not here on his own behalf but at the behest of a superior. Someone had, no doubt, instructed Sakamoto to find Subaru and hire him on behalf of the company, and it was that authority that kept Sakamoto here, stammering through the interview.

"Sumeragi-san," he began, "my superior has sent me to find you. We could not reach you by phone, or at school, so as a last resort I came here. Our company has need of your services, as the head of Japan's greatest family of onmyouji."

Hokuto chose that moment to come out of the back room.

"Oh, Sei-chan, the puppies are so cute!" She stopped suddenly. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you had business to take care of."

"Actually, Hokuto-chan, it's your brother's business."

"Really?" She wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Work could help Subaru fit his new feelings into the accustomed flow of his life, but it could also keep him from properly sorting them out.

"Sumeragi-san?" Sakamoto said to Hokuto. He couldn't miss the resemblance; he also couldn't miss Hokuto's latest fancy-dress creation, which resembled the March Hare from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," right down to the oversized (prop, not real) watch and the bunny ears. Hokuto watched the expression of dismay grow on the staid salaryman's face and grinned, barely repressing a giggle at his consternation.

Sakamoto quickly turned back to Subaru.

"Sumeragi-san, my superior, the company president, is certain that you are the only one who can help us. There has been a killing...the police are investigating, but there are certain elements of the crime that are...confusing."

Hokuto knew what that meant. Inexplicable things, hinting at unnatural forces...things that could cause more trouble and bad publicity for the company while the police attempted to track down a natural-world killer. Of course, if people were being killed by magical means, it was Subaru's duty as the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan to prevent it, regardless of the motives of the one hiring him.

"The police do not generally welcome the involvement of private individuals in murder investigations," Seishiro commented.

"Well, we'll just have to go with Subaru for moral support, won't we?" Hokuto caroled. No police detective was going to push her brother around!

"That's a good idea, Hokuto-chan," Seishiro approved. "Do you mind, Subaru-kun?"

"No, not at all...only, are you free? I know you have your own work to do, Seishiro-san."

Seishiro shook his head.

"No, the akita mother is in fine condition and my assistant can handle things from here. That was the only appointment I had today."

Subaru smiled gratefully.

"In that case, I would be very glad to have you join me."

Hokuto grinned. Her brother wasn't even looking at her when he said that. It was a good sign, she thought.

"Well, don't just stand around, let's get going! Men...all talk and no action!"


	2. Chapter 2

The headquarters of World Pacific International was a glistening tower in Akihaibara, fifty stories of mirrored glass that sent the sunlight cascading back from its walls like a gigantic prism. It was a perfect example, Hokuto thought, of how something created by human hands could be both functional and attractive.

Eiji Sakamoto led the trio inside the building. Subaru followed closely behind; as always he wanted to get right to work on the case. That was his attitude whether the client was rich and powerful, or poor and innocent. Hokuto's brother was like that; he saw all people as the same. Poverty did not make a person worthless, but neither did wealth place them beyond redemption.

Seishiro trailed along behind the Sumeragis. He had changed from his white lab coat into a dark raincoat, and had replaced his usual narrow glasses with black-lensed sunglasses. People often gave him second looks because of his blind eye, so when he wasn't working in his clinic he covered it up. Hokuto sometimes wondered what Seishiro thought about the people who were disturbed by his injury; did he resent them, laugh at their folly, or what?

"Not only," the bureaucrat was saying, "are we one of the leaders in electronics technology in Japan, but through our subsidiary, World Pacific West, we have established a considerable market share in America as well."

_He's scared,_ Hokuto realized, _and he's babbling because he doesn't know what else to do._ Sakamoto was an ordinary salaryman; he dealt with figures, business deals. He probably had a family whom he went home to each night. Murder was no part of his life, magic even further outside that. Simply being the errand boy was more than he wanted to have to do with this.

The building's lobby was a gleaming thing, all polished marble and brass fittings. Sakamoto took his three guests directly to a bank of elevators and up to the thirty-second floor. Here, the building ceased to please Hokuto aesthetically; functionality swallowed everything else, and left only the drab, gray workplace of drab, gray men. There was some color, though, color provided by uniformed police officers, lab technicians, the medical experts, and the detectives. Around the fringes of these people clustered salarymen, secretaries, and other members of the staff of World Pacific International, drawn to the scene of the tragedy like moths to a flame.

Sakamoto led the Sumeragi's and Seishiro not to his superior's office, but towards the thickest knot of outsiders, towards the crime scene. The reason soon became obvious: a white-haired man who stood talking to the senior detective. He was of only average height, with a slight build similar to Subaru's, but there was a definite air of command about him, a presence of inner force that Sakamoto lacked. Undeniably, this was Masahiro Kigai, president of World Pacific International.

Subaru blinked in surprise as he saw the two men. Hokuto looked at her brother curiously, wondering what had startled him.

"Pardon me, Kigai-sama, but I have brought Subaru Sumeragi to see you," Sakamoto said.

Executive and policeman turned their heads simultaneously, looking over the newcomers.

"Ah! Subaru-kun, it's good to see you again."

The detective was a tall man, though not as tall as Seishiro, with a lean face and an unruly shock of hair. He wore a tan trenchcoat over a slightly wrinkled brown suit. There was, however, a spark of curiosity and eagerness in his eyes that marked him as more than just another public servant doing his duty.

"Yamakawa-san!" Subaru greeted him. Now, Hokuto knew who this was; he had been the detective investigating a series of suspicious "accidents" at the MCC Corporation. Yamakawa had almost been killed during that investigation; only Subaru's arrival had enabled paramedics to be called in time to save his life. Subaru had liked the detective; he was a creative thinker and moreover, He believed in magic. That could be very useful, Hokuto knew. It would be so much easier for Subaru to do his job if the authorities didn't consider his work as interfering with their investigations.

"You and Sumeragi-san are acquainted, Detective?" Kigai asked.

"Yes, we met on another case. Did you call him in?"

"I thought it best, given the nature of the matter."

Introductions were swiftly performed. Unlike his subordinate, the white-haired company president seemed neither surprised nor put off by the appearance of Subaru and his "entourage."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Sumeragi-san, and I can only hope that you can shed some light on these tragic events," Kigai told the young onmyouji.

"I'll do my best, Kigai-san." Subaru's eyes flicked towards the detective. "That is, if I would not be creating trouble?"

"Not at all," Yamakawa answered. "Frankly, Subaru-kun, I'd appreciate your assistance. This is more in your line than mine." He grinned wryly. "Besides, even if I objected, I suspect Kigai-san would press the right buttons with my boss to make sure I let you work."

"Forthright," Seishiro noted dryly.

"But correct," Kigai noted. "The victim was my niece."

Then Hokuto understood. Yamakawa and Kigai had already dealt with the questions of jurisdiction, of ego, before the president had sent for Subaru. What was left were two men whose complete focus was to solve this case, catch whomever was responsible for whatever had happened. It was a surprise, meeting two people who could easily overlook issues of authority to seek a common goal.

"The lab people will be done," Yamakawa noted. "Come on, I'll let you take a look, and then you can do what you need to do."

The little group went to a corner office. Hokuto noted that Sakamoto had drifted away, no doubt returning to his own duties.

To sanity.

Subaru looked in surprise at the name on the office door.

"This is Sakamoto-san's office!"

"Mirei was his aide."

Yamakawa pushed open the door.

Inside was carnage.

Subaru, in his work, had encountered many horrible things. Hatred, fear, and despair drove people to perform shocking acts. This was horrible too, but in a different way. This was crude, animalistic brutality, a young life torn apart. A heavy desk had been hurled across the room, its corner striking the plate glass floor-to-ceiling window and sending long, jagged cracks spreading out from the point of impact. Shelves had been broken, a state-of-the-art PC literally crushed underfoot.

The girl looked no older than eighteen. She wore a tailored blue suit and a white silk blouse. Her eyes were wide open and staring in terror...no, not terror, more like astonishment.

Her body had been torn apart, as if claws driven by giant strength had ripped into her over and over again. Blood was everywhere.

Perhaps the worst thing was the smell. The distinctive scent of blood and death was missing. The only odor any of them could detect was a soft, smoky aroma, almost like incense.

Hokuto's eyes swept the scene, and her gorge rose. Biting her lip to keep from gagging, she spun and fled the room.

"Hokuto-chan!" Subaru called, and started to go after her, but was stopped by a light touch on his arm from Seishiro. He looked up into the face of the man he loved, who shook his head slightly.

"She wouldn't thank you," the older man said. "You'll do her no good now."

Subaru didn't quite understand, but he trusted Seishiro. The two people he loved most had a kind of connection between them, a relationship that operated on a different level than their relationships with Subaru. Sometimes, they understood each other better than Subaru understood either one of them.

Seishiro smiled gently, then told Subaru in a low voice the others could not hear, "Hokuto-chan would not want to appear weak in front of you."

"She always protects me," Subaru said, now comprehending, and his turned his attention back to the crime scene.

Detective Yamakawa was frowning, his hands in his coat pockets. "What bothers me -- and I'm sure the medical examiner will agree -- is the wounds. I can imagine a killer with the enormous strength this took, but those injuries weren't made by a knife or sword, or any other weapon I know of."

Seishiro nodded.

"It looks like the kind of pattern formed by an animal's claws," the veterinarian contributed, "but the size is wrong. Each claw had to about four inches long to make wounds like these."

Yamakawa sighed.

"And the witnesses said nothing at all came out. They heard screams, the crashing of the struggle, but when they opened the door, there was nothing. The only way in or out is the door, except for a ventilator than not even a contortionist could fit through."

Subaru nodded numbly. Seishiro laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"That leaves it up to you, Subaru-kun."

"Seishiro-san..."

He turned to Yamakawa and Kigai.

"There are some things I can try," he told them.

The smell of sandalwood-tinged smoke filled his nostrils.

-X X X-

Hokuto bent over the gleaming porcelain sink in the ladies' restroom and splashed water on her face. Steadily, her stomach began to settle as she regained her usual equilibrium.

"Come on," she told her reflection. "You're no good to Subaru this way." She wondered how someone as gentle as her brother could deal with sights like that. Of course, most of Subaru's work involved a less graphic kind of horror. Maybe that was the key; as a professional onmyouji Subaru could deal with gruesome sights but as a sensitive boy he had more trouble with the tragedies -- the personal reasons -- that lay behind the incidents he faced. Hokuto, more practical, could face the psychological aspects without the empathetic sorrow that Subaru felt.

She took a deep breath. That was better; she could go out and face the world now. Hokuto had to be strong, because a murder like this one probably had a story behind it, and Subaru might need her support.

Of course, he now had Seishiro, too, for that.

Plus, Subaru's heart was stronger than she sometimes gave it credit for being.

Did that bother her? Did the idea that her little brother might not need Hokuto to watch over him somehow diminish her?

The elder Sumeragi twin shook her head angrily and stalked out of the bathroom. These were thoughts born of envy and possessiveness, and not the kind of thing she liked to see in herself.

Not watching where she was going, Hokuto nearly ran down a young man coming down the hall with a stack of documents in his arms. He jumped back just in time to avoid a collision, but the sudden movement made the top few papers slide off the stack. He leaned back to catch them, taking the weight of his load onto one arm while reaching out with the other, but lost it completely, causing the whole pile to come cascading down around him and Hokuto.

"Oh!" Hokuto gasped, realizing that she had been a large part of the cause of this accident. "I'm sorry! Here, let me help you." She began scooping up papers at random, squaring them off, and depositing the stack in the young man's arms. As she did, their eyes met.

_Wow!_ she thought.

The man was a Westerner, around eighteen, with silky, gossamer-light blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. His face was exquisite, as if sculpted from alabaster, with eyes the same honey-gold shade as amber framed by long, delicate lashes. He wore shirtsleeves and the pants from a gray suit; the shirt was light enough so Hokuto could tell that his torso was lean but well-muscled, like a swimmer's or a track-and-field athlete's.

Realizing she was staring, she said somewhat flippantly, "I think I've died and gone to shojo manga." This guy was _gorgeous_!

The young man chuckled.

"I'm glad you approve," he said. "I don't think I know you, miss," he added, his Japanese only slightly accented. "Are you a model with some kind of advertising campaign the company is doing?"

Hokuto blinked, then remembered her March Hare costume, which didn't exactly blend in to corporate culture.

"Oh, no, I'm Hokuto Sumeragi. My brother is Subaru Sumeragi, the onmyouji that was called in by Kigai-san, the president."

The young man mulled this over.

"Onmyouji? That's something like a medium or exorcist, isn't it?"

Hokuto nodded.

"More or less. It's a kind of magician, from a Japanese tradition."

"Interesting," the gaijin remarked. "What did Kigai-san want with your brother?"

"You hadn't heard about the murder?"

"Miss Sumeragi, I've spent the entire morning in the file room, wrestling with these documents. If someone bombed the building I wouldn't have noticed. What happened?"

Hokuto frowned.

"Kigai-san's niece was killed."

The young bishonen's mouth grew slack, and the papers tumbled from nerveless fingers onto the floor again.

"Mirei..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Mirei. . ." the young man said, looking shell-shocked. "Mirei is dead? What happened?"

"That's what my brother is trying to help the police to find out."

He shook his head disbelievingly.

"That's. . .It's just so astonishing, that I could be working all morning while Mirei was being killed." There was a sick note in his voice, the kind that often presaged survivor guilt.

"I'm sorry," Hokuto said gently. "Did she mean a lot to you?"

The handsome young man smiled wanly.

"Not in the way you're thinking. She was a good friend. I'm not sure if you've ever lived in a foreign country, but it can be very hard to get along in a different culture. Mirei always went out of her way to make me feel comfortable, to help me through the rough parts. Maybe it was because she was a woman in the business world, she could sympathize with the troubles of a gaijin. For whatever reason, though, she was special."

"Her death is a real tragedy, then. Kind people are two few in this world."

The young man's eyes glittered.

"Then I must be very lucky, to have met two here in Japan."

Subaru would have blushed at that, or at least looked down shyly. Hokuto did neither.

"Do you come up with lines like that naturally, or do you have to think about them?"

The blond man tossed back his head and laughed. His laughing was a little too loud and went on a little too long; it smacked of hysteria, some kind of reaction to the girl's death.

"Thank you," he finally said, recovering himself, "I needed that."

Hokuto grinned at him for just an instant, acknowledging their connection. Then her expression softened and she told the American, "I'm going back to my brother now. If you'd rather not come. . ."

He shook his head.

"No, it will be good for me to face it directly, I think."

Hokuto shrugged acceptingly. Some people were like that.

"All right, follow me."

-X X X-

Subaru could feel the barriers of his consciousness wavering as he continued to chant his spell. The litany echoed in his own mind; his perception slowly began to shift as the real world faded from his vision. Strange colors that were no part of nature formed images of the past and present, overlaid on one another. That much accomplished, Subaru changed his chant, guiding his spell in a different direction. The tumbling flood of images slowed, almost stopping, and began to sort itself out, taking shape as they swam through Subaru's awareness.

He saw Mirei Kigai enter her superior's office. No one else was there, she noted, letting down her guard enough to pout slightly. She hated wasting her time; more than that, she hated the common assumption that because she was a woman, her time could be wasted without real cost. There were, she knew, men in this company who believed that she was going to marry the one her uncle would groom as his heir apparent -- whomever that might be.

Her attention was caught by an incense burner on Sakamoto's desk. It was a little bronze thing, curiously out of place among the prosaic salaryman's things. A faint wisp of sandalwood smoke drifted upwards from the little ornament. A nice scent, Mirei thought.

There was nothing slow or mystical about it. A sudden cloud of smoke burst upwards with all the subtlety of a sword thrust or an exploding bomb. The shape it formed was vaguely humanoid, but misshapen, the flesh smoke-gray and rubbery, the mouth wide and leering, the legs bent and twisted. Its arms nearly reached the floor, ending in oversized tipped with yellowing, cracked talons three inches long. It towered over her, nearly eight feet tall, and moved with astonishing speed. The chipped, broken claws were already tearing into Mirei's body when she gave voice to her first scream.

Subaru's perception cracked, shattered, and fell apart, like a mirror that had been struck a pulverizing blow.

"Are you all right, Subaru-kun?" Seishiro asked, quickly showing concern as the young man sagged limply. Subaru quickly regained his equilibrium as he readjusted himself to seeing the normal world, and avoided a fall. Seishiro's hands, he noted with grateful surprise, were already on his shoulders, supporting him. How like him, Subaru thought, to react so quickly when he needed help.

"Y-yes, yes I am, Seishiro-san." He glanced around at the faces of the other men, seeing in them concern mirroring his lover's. "I'm sorry to be such a bother," he added reflexively. What must they think of him, collapsing in the middle of his spell? Detective Yamakawa was being very tolerant to allow him onto the crime scene at all; Subaru did not want to repay that trust by making a spectacle of himself.

"Not at all," Seishiro said. "We should not be putting such pressure on you. An onmyouji should not be expected to walk in and perform like an animal in the zoo."

"Subaru! Are you overworking yourself again?" The voice was Hokuto's, of course; it was unmistakable. Subaru got a surprise, though, when a handsome young Westerner followed his sister up to them.

"You seem to have a great many people concerned about you, Subaru-kun," Yamakawa noted dryly, but not with the sardonic overtones that would have meant he was mocking the young man. Subaru blushed anyway.

"Well, Subaru, did you learn anything?"

Subaru nodded, took a deep breath, and began.

"I used an incantation that would let me relive the moments just before Mirei-san died."

Hokuto frowned at him. She knew that when Subaru used that particular spell, he placed himself into rapport with the psychic impressions left by the dead person's mind. It was a kind of postcognition, a spell Subaru had invented himself after a murder case during which he had met a psychic -- ironically, one who had also been named Mirei. It was a harrowing experience, to relive the death of another, and Hokuto always worried about the effect it had on her brother.

"The reason that you weren't able to find any trace evidence of the killer's presence is that Mirei-san was killed by magic."

"Magic did that to my niece?" Kigai exclaimed, with disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yes, sir. It was a creature known as a Shadow Golem. It is formed from smoke and the nightmares of people. It forms, attacks, then dissolves away into smoke again. It isn't real, not the way you understand it, so it leaves no traces behind."

"But like illusion," Seishiro contributed softly, "it has an effect on reality."

"Do you mean," the gaijin asked, "that some monster just appeared in Mr. Sakamoto's office, tore Mirei apart, and vanished?"

That wasn't all of it, Subaru thought, shaking his head. It was Seishiro, though, who answered the question before Subaru could.

"No," he said softly. "Consider this: no illusion, no falsehood, exists outside of human creation. One gives an impression, another perceives it. A Shadow Golem must be conjured up by someone. It is a weapon, a construct, a projection."

"So that's why Subaru-kun said that it was 'not real,'" Yamakawa said, slapping his fist into his palm. "This. . .Shadow Golem isn't a monster or spirit, but a manifestation created by a human assassin. Am I right?"

Subaru nodded at once.

"That's it exactly, Yamakawa-san. This required some advance preparation, also. Ordinarily an onmyouji could shape a Shadow Golem from any source of smoke in the area around them -- a fireplace, a barbecue grill, even a cigarette. This was different, though. The person who killed Mirei prepared an incense burner ahead of time, so that when he or she cast the spell, the creature would manifest from that smoke no matter where the murderer was at the time. The killer could have been in the next office, or as far away as Kyoto, using the senses of the Shadow Golem."

Yamakawa's eyes flicked around the office.

"What incense burner?" he asked.

Subaru turned to Sakamoto's desk and pointed.

"That one there. . ." His voice trailed off. "I don't understand. I saw the Shadow Golem form from the smoke. The censer was right there."

"Then no doubt someone has taken it," Seishiro asserted.

"Right," Yamakawa agreed, beginning to think things through. "The murderer had to plant the censer and light it, so that when he or she cast the spell here would be smoke to use," he deduced. The detective looked to Subaru for confirmation.

"That's right, Yamakawa-san. If the incense was not burning, then the incantation would fail."

"Okay, I understand that. Then, in the confusion after Mirei's death, the killer took it away again, because it was physical evidence."

"And magical evidence," Hokuto chimed in. She wagged her finger reprovingly. "Anyone who could summon such a monster would know that the censer could be used to trace the spell back to its caster, because of the link that was created when it was enchanted and strengthened when it was actually used in summoning the Shadow Golem."

Seishiro smiled approvingly at her and said, "That's very good, Hokuto-chan."

"Well, I'm not the big sister of the head of the Sumeragi clan for nothing, you know!"

"So," the handsome blond concluded, "when you find the person who planted and stole the censer, Detective Yamakawa, you'll have your case solved!"

"That's it. It should be a matter of routine police work from here, cross-questioning witnesses and that kind of thing."

The company president regarded Subaru gravely, all traces of his earlier doubt

gone.

"Thank you very much, Sumeragi-san. Your contribution to this case has been invaluable. I am glad that the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan was equal to the reputation of his ancestors."

"I. . .well. . .that is. . .thank you very much, Kigai-san," Subaru stammered out.

_Now, if he could only solve his overblown sense of modesty so easily!_ thought Hokuto.

Leaving Sakamoto's office even by so short a distance as to step to the far side of the door had an emotional impact on everyone in the little group. The scene of a death always had an effect; what kind of effect varied from person to person, but it was always there, a human constant. President Kigai had a look of satisfaction on his face, melded with a bitter pain that would not soon go away. Yamakawa was grim and thoughtful, as fit his status as a police detective; no doubt he was already planning what orders to give his subordinates towards solving the case. Subaru looked sad, which was no surprise; young, innocent life snuffed out hurt him deeply. Seishiro was like a tall, dark shadow behind Hokuto's brother, attentive as always to his lover's feelings. Support and reassurance. . .

Hokuto smiled faintly. Something about the picture of Seishiro being the caring, sweet lover struck her as incongrous. Like a bird of prey, an eagle. . . and yet, Hokuto noted to herself, eagles mated for life.

"Miss Sumeragi?"

Hokuto and the handsome young American were the last two to leave the office, and lagged behind the group.

"Yes?"

"I know this is a really awful time to bring this up, but I doubt we'd ever see each other again in the normal course of things, and. . .well, I don't want that."

Hokuto's eyes widened.

"Are you asking me out on a DATE?"

"Um. . ."

He flashed her a dazzling, although sheepish smile. Clearly, he didn't ordinarily get caught in such an awkward situation with the opposite sex. She could see his point -- this was a horrible time to meet someone, emotions on edge and social conventions requiring that death be treated with the dignity it demanded, and yet to remain silent might be to push away that one wonderful person who might change his life forever. And, being an American, he made the choice that he did.

"I suppose that I am, though I hadn't thought of it like that."

Hokuto thought it over. Did she want to see more of this beautiful young man?

"Well, all right," she decided, "but only on one condition."

"Name it," he offered at once.

"Tell me your name!"

He blinked in surprise.

"My name?" He thought for a moment. "I haven't mentioned that yet, have I? Oh, well, I can't go on being rude to such a beautiful lady; I'm Jack Delevant."

"Delevant-san," Hokuto turned it over on her tongue.

"Oh, please, call me Jack."

"All right. . .Jack."

He smiled at her, brilliantly. It made her feel strange, kind of warm and tingly. As if a young god had descended from the skies to look fondly upon her. Was this what her brother felt like, when Seishiro smiled at him?

-X X X-

The two males had gone down to the lobby, but waited there for Hokuto to catch up. Seishiro watched Subaru quietly, a smile playing around the corners of his lips. The boy seemed preoccupied with something, troubled.

"Is something wrong, Subaru-kun?" he asked, laying his hand lightly on the young onmyouji's shoulder.

Subaru stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I feel like I'm abandoning this case," he said. "I'm not sure that leaving my work for the police to finish is right."

"You feel, perhaps, that you have a duty as the head of the Sumeragi clan to see this matter through to the end? To protect the people of Japan from a killer who uses magic?"

"Seishiro-san. . ."

Subaru nodded.

"That's exactly it; I accepted the responsibility."

"Yamakawa-san is a skilled detective," Seishiro observed, playing devil's advocate. "He believes what you tell him, so he will look for what he needs to find, instead of following blind alleys in search of a nonmagical solution in the way that many others would."

Subaru frowned.

"The police won't be protected against magic, though. The murderer might have the opportunity to use spells against them. To prepare a special censer for casting the Shadow Golem at long range, the assassin must be a skilled practitioner, not an amateur."

Seishiro lightly touched Subaru's chin, turning the boy to face him. He then stroked the young man's cheek with the back of his hand.

"You have such a pure spirit, Subaru-kun. It's amazed me for as long as I've known you, how wondrous it is."

"Seishiro-san. . ."

"You must be true to your feelings, I know. You cannot rest easy until this matter is resolved. Just remember that if you need me, I am here."


	4. Chapter 4

Seishiro frowned slightly as his knock at Subaru's apartment door brought no response. That wasn't at all like Subaru; the young man always strove hard to be punctual, because he didn't want others to waste their time waiting for him. In the same vein, he would never let anyone, even a complete stranger, stand waiting at the door while he ignored them.

There was only one explanation that made any real sense. Seishiro turned and, without bothering to knock, went straight into the apartment across the hall. Sure enough, there was Subaru, standing in the middle of his sister's main living area/dining room, looking bewildered. It made him look even more cute than usual, Seishiro decided. As for the apartment, while Hokuto had never exactly been a model of good housekeeping except in the kitchen (and even then, half the time she cooked at Subaru's anyway), the place looked to be even more in disarray than usual. A number of outfits were strewn around the room, laid over furniture or just dropped on the floor.

A moment later, Hokuto herself cannoned out of the bedroom with another two outfits in her arms. Seishiro saw her coming just in time to shift the bouquet of flowers he carried to his left arm so they weren't squashed when she ran into him.

"Oh, Sei-chan! Which do you think looks better, this one or this one?"

"The fish, I think," he replied with his usual aplomb.

"Arrrgh! It's supposed to be a mermaid! What do you think, Subaru?" she said, rounding on her brother.

"Hokuto-chan, keep it down; you'll disturb the neighbors!" Subaru protested helplessly. To Seishiro he added, "I'm sorry that I wasn't at home, Seishiro-san, but. . ."

Seishiro chuckled.

"It's all right, Subaru-kun. Sometimes I find your sister to be very hard to resist, too. Here, these are for you."

Subaru blushed as the older man handed him the flowers.

"Th-thank you, Seishiro-san. I'll go put these in some water."

"Sei-chan! Roses? How romantic! You're always so attentive. It's not every man who would think to bring his boyfriend flowers."

"Confidentially," he told her in a stage whisper, "I did it because your brother is so cute when he blushes."

"I know. I'm so jealous! My face just gets puffy."

Predictably, Subaru blushed even redder at hearing this exchange. He came back from the kitchen with the half-dozen roses tucked into what looked like a mint julep glass.

"Is this all right, Hokuto-chan? It's the closest thing to a vase that I could find."

"Oh, of course; just remember to give it back when you're done. Not like that frying pan you kept for a week!"

"That was because you brought it over to cook with and left it without telling me!" he protested.

"A man should know what he has in his own apartment," she told him primly. "After all, as the Americans say, 'a man's home is his castle.'"

"Shall I help you start digging the moat?" Seishiro contributed.

"That's it!" Hokuto exclaimed. She shoved the clothes she was carrying into Seishiro's arms, ran into the bedroom, and came back with a green and black dragon outfit, complete with tail. Seishiro decided that any comments would be completely superflous.

"What are you doing here anyway, Sei-chan? And with flowers, no less?" Hokuto asked as she held the dragon outfit up against herself, looking in the full-length mirror mounted across from her bedroom door.

"Well, Subaru's been working very hard on this Kigai case for the past three days with no luck, so I thought that I would take him out for dinner and then a walk in Ueno Park to help him relax."

"Oh, that's nice; I'm always telling Subaru that he's working himself too hard." Hokuto stepped back into her room and slid the door closed so she could change. "Especially on this case!" she called, her voice only slightly muffled. "It's really hard for Subaru because he keeps trying and trying without success."

The problem, Seishiro knew, lay in the ephemeral nature of the Shadow Golem. Usually, magic formed a link between caster, subject, and location, and a sufficiently skilled practitioner could follow that link from any one of the three to another. It was not likely that the killer of Mirei Kigai was so powerful that his or her magic was beyond the head of the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan to trace, but the form of the spell used affected how long the link remained active and traceable. Some magic--most of all, badly-prepared magic used by amateurs--left a clear, bright trail that remained for years. The magic of the Shadow Golem, though, was as misty and fragile to follow as the smoke it used.

"It would be different if Subaru-kun had the censer to focus on," he commented. "The spells of enchantment placed upon it are much more strongly connected to the caster than the summoning incantation. Of course, that is no doubt why he or she removed it after the crime."

"So far, the police have had no luck finding out who did that, either," Subaru said.

"It's annoying!" Hokuto called through the door. "Their failure is negating the best argument I have to get Subaru to quit this case! How can I tell him to let them do their jobs when they aren't doing them? If I see Detective Yamakawa again, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"

"Hokuto-chan, that's not fair! The police are working very hard to catch the killer!" Subaru protested.

"Hah! 'It's just a woman,' I'll bet they're saying. No need to spend their full effort for just that!"

"Hokuto-chan! You know that isn't true!"

"Hmph." The door opened. "Well, what do you think?" She struck a pose, modeling her outfit.

"It looks very charming, Hokuto-chan," Seishiro told her. It was not every woman, he reflected, who could wear the kind of outrageous costumes Hokuto liked without appearing strange, even foolish, but the elder Sumeragi twin always carried it off without trouble. Perhaps it was that joie de vivre that she seemed to bring with her wherever she went, or maybe it was just her physical appearance, but either way she made her normal clothes seem cute, pretty, and stylish.

"I like it too," Subaru agreed.

"It's settled, then."

Seishiro checked his watch.

"All right, then, if you're done with Subaru-kun, we need to be going. Our dinner reservation is for 7:30."

"7:30! What time is it now?" Hokuto exclaimed.

"Ten to seven."

"AAAAARRRRGH! I'm late! I'm supposed to be meeting Jack at seven!"

"You have a date, Hokuto-chan?"

"That's why she's so concerned about what she's going to wear," Subaru told Seishiro. "This is her first date with the American she met at World Pacific, Delevant-san."

Seishiro nodded firmly, his face set with determination.

"No brother-in-law could stand idly by in such a predicament!" he declared. "Since there's no chance of you getting there in time if you have to catch a train, you will have to ride with us. We'll drop you off on our way."

"Thank you, Sei-chan!" Hokuto hugged him impulsively.

In less time than it took to tell, Seishiro's car was rocketing through the streets of Tokyo. His driving style was best described as offensive; he cut ruthlessly through the lanes of traffic when any opening presented itself, hurtled through alleys and twisted side streets that seemed to materialize out of nowhere, and darted in front of other cars and pedestrians alike with apparent disregard for the odds of causing an accident.

"Ooof!" Hokuto exclaimed, as a sudden turn tossed her across the back seat into her brother's lap.

"You really should wear a sear belt, Hokuto-chan," Subaru advised as she climbed off him.

"Sei-chan, I always thought you were hiding some dark secret, and now I know what it is!" Hokuto declared.

"What's that?" Seishiro asked, expertly accelerating and taking a corner just in time to beat the changing traffic light.

"You put yourself through veterinary school by working as a cab driver here in Tokyo! Admit it!"

Seishiro laughed heartily before pulling over and braking to a sudden stop. Hokuto bounced off the seat in front of her, recovered her bearings, and looked out the window.

"Hey, we're here!"

"At 6:59, no less."

"Thanks, Sei-chan! You're the best!" she exclaimed happily. Hokuto adjusted her wings, which had been knocked slightly askew by the wild ride, straightened her hat, and got out. She saw Subaru get into the front passenger seat before Seishiro drove off at a more sedate pace. Hokuto waved goodbye, then turned to scan the tables at the sidewalk cafe where she had agreed to meet her date. Thankfully, it wasn't raining. Delevant was there; he waved to catch her attention, as if his stunning blond good looks weren't attention-getting enough.

"Hi, Jack!"

"Good evening," he said, getting up from his seat to chivalrously help her with her chair. "That's an amazing outfit!"

"Do you like it?" Please say yes, she thought.

Jack nodded.

"Uh-huh. It looks really cute on you, Hokuto--I mean, Miss Sumeragi."

"Oh, Hokuto is fine," she assured him. Of course, as an American, he was used to calling people by their first names even when they were only casual acquaintances, and Hokuto was not one to stand on ceremony. Besides, she wanted to be more than just a casual acquaintance. "And thank you very much; I made it myself."

"Really?" He smiled dazzlingly, reminding her a lot of Seishiro. "That's amazing; you must be very talented."

"Oh, not really; it's just a hobby," Hokuto demurred. "It's just, well, I have a whole lot of ideas and they don't sell clothes like that, so I make them myself and that way, I can look exactly how I want to. I do male clothing, too," she added with a grin. "It's handy to have a brother for that; Subaru gets to be my dress-up doll!"

Delevant grinned back.

"So that's the secret behind the fashion trends of today's young onm--onmi--um, what's the word for what your brother does?"

"Onmyouji."

"Thanks." He smiled sheepishly. "My Japanese still isn't as good as it should be. That must be a fascinating line of work, though, especially at such a young age--it's really astounding!"

"I keep telling Subaru the same thing," Hokuto commiserated. "Sometimes, I just can't believe how dense he can be! I mean, if I hear the words 'just an ordinary onmyouji' one more time, I think I'll scream--you can't use 'ordinary' and 'onmyouji' together at all and have it make sense! What's more, he's the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan. Our family has been protecting Japan for over two thousand years, even working for the Emporer. It's not false modesty--my brother has no idea at all how special he really is! Humble people," she decided, "can be extremely annoying."

"And how special are you, Hokuto?" Jack asked teasingly.

Hokuto blinked.

"Me? Oh, I'm nothing like Subaru. I only have a very little bit of the family talent. That's why Subaru is the clan head even though he's the younger twin."

"Ah, I see, so you'll just have to settle for being beautiful, vivacious, witty, and charming then--not to mention well-dressed."

"Flatterer!"

"I'm just an observer of truth," he said while giving her his best innocent smile.

"Did Sei-chan lend you that smile?"

"What?"

"Never mind; you looked just like someone I know for a moment there."

"Oh; I hope that's a good thing."

Now that, Hokuto thought, was a very good question indeed. Did it mean anything that she was attracted to a man who kept reminding her of Seishiro? Or did it have some other significance entirely that she should be aware of?

Or, on the other hand, did it mean nothing at all?

Something of her concerns must have shown itself; Delevant picked up on it at once.

"Hey, is something wrong, Hokuto? This other guy, he isn't an old boyfriend you're just getting over or something, is he?"

Hokuto laughed.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. Actually, he's Subaru's boyfriend."

"Subaru's? But I thought. . .oh." He thought that one over. "Is that a problem for you, that your brother's dating a guy?"

Hokuto shook her head. "I've spent nearly the last entire year pushing the two of them together, in fact."

Jack laughed.

"Really? That's too funny."

"So you say! You try matchmaking for someone as thick-skulled about romance as my brother for a while and see if you're still laughing!"

"Believe me, I have! I've got this cousin back home, a really gorgeous girl, but she's one of those people who's always got her nose in a book and has no idea how beautiful she is. I swear, I went to college just to get away from the temptation to set her up!"

Hokuto giggled. Jack grinned at her, and the waiter chose that moment to get to their table. As they ordered, Hokuto impulsively reached across the table and took Delevant's hand in hers.

She was sure it was going to be a very good night indeed.


	5. Chapter 5

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: The story Seishiro mentions is called "The Invisible Man" and  
can be found in the collection_, The Innocence of Father Brown.

Hokuto wasn't exactly dancing on air as she returned home an hour after midnight, but it was close enough for her. She was clear-headed enough to be unsure if she was in love, but she was certainly at least infatuated with the gorgeous American. And he liked her too! All night he had been really interested in her, unlike most guys, who tended to talk about themselves for hours on end.

Rather than go back to her own apartment, Hokuto decided to stop in at her brother's. She wasn't quite ready to go to bed yet, and a cup of tea would really taste good. As usual, she walked right in--and surprised Subaru and Seishiro on the couch.

"Oops! Um, sorry, excuse me." She held up her hands and began to back out. Seishiro chuckled.

"Don't worry, Hokuto-chan; you didn't interrupt anything lecherous," he told her, smiling warmly.

"Really? I thought that you were more ambitious than that."

Seishiro raised the eyebrow over his blind eye.

"Perhaps I'm just biding my time."

Hokuto looked at him curiously. There was an odd intentness in his gaze, an intentness that his smile did not touch. Then, suddenly, it was gone, and his entire face was set in his usual pleasant expression.

"In any event, how did your date go, Hokuto-chan?" he changed the subject with the same speed as he changed expressions.

"It was wonderful! We had ice cream sodas at the Excite! cafe, then saw a movie, then danced for almost three hours! Next time, I promised to take Jack to sing karaoke."

"I'm glad you had such a great time, Hokuto-chan!" Subaru enthused.

"It's good that your romance is going well," Seishiro agreed. "It's not surprising, though. It's obvious that you would have no trouble attracting handsome and charming men." He glanced slyly at her twin and added. "Surely, you have the face for it."

Subaru smiled shyly at the implied compliment. Hokuto laughed heartily.

"Now that's more like our Sei-chan! Not wasting opportunities!"

"Hokuto-chan!" Subaru protested.

Hokuto hopped into a chair.

"And you! It took you almost an entire year to own up to your feelings, and you're still moving so slowly. Sometimes I can't believe you're my brother!" She thought for a moment. "It's this case, isn't it? I would have walked in on the two of you kissing, or worse, except that you're too caught up in this work that isn't even yours!"

Subaru nodded.

"In truth," Seishiro agreed, "Subaru-kun was distracted all night from our date by thoughts of work."

"I'm sorry," Subaru said. "I don't mean to be so unappreciative of your kindness, Seishiro-san; I just can't help from thinking about poor Mirei-san."

"No doubt reliving her death from her perspective with your spell brought the tragedy of it home to you more strongly than if you had only heard about it secondhand," his lover pointed out understandingly.

Hokuto whistled.

"I hadn't been thinking of that! I'm sorry about being such a pain, Subaru, when you've had to face that poor girl's death that way."

"You haven't been doing anything wrong, Hokuto-chan," he quickly reassured her, then leaned forward in his seat, resting his chin on his palms.

"What bothers me," he thought aloud, "is how the censer disappeared from Sakamoto-san's office without anyone noticing. The office workers all told the police that they didn't notice anyone go inside. The building security camera tapes showed no one unusual entering the building that day."

"There are magics," Seishiro pointed out, "that can conceal a person's presence, either through a visual illusion or by influencing the minds of people into believing that no one is there."

"'Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?'" quoted Hokuto.

"I know," Subaru said, "but Kigai-san let me check for evidence that such magic had been used, and I couldn't find any."

"That's a problem." Seishiro noted. "If the assassin is so skilled as to hide his or her presence so completely from you, then there would be nothing you could do. There can't be many magicians like that."

He and Hokuto glanced at each other over Subaru's head.

"Yet. . ." Seishiro mused, "there might be another explanation. In the onmyoujutsu of the head of the Sumeragi family could not detect the assassin's magic. . .then perhaps there was no magic."

"Sei-chan, that doesn't make sense."

"It reminds me of a mystery story by an Englishman, G.K. Chesterton. He wrote about a murderer who could deliver threatening letters, walk right by four guards including policemen, kill his victim, and carry away the corpse, all without being seen."

"How did he do that?" Subaru wondered.

"No one saw him, because he was someone whom the witnesses expected to see. He didn't seem unusual or out of the ordinary to them, so they didn't take any notice of him, any more than they would a desk or a street light."

"So who was he?" Hokuto asked.

Seishiro grinned at her.

"You're not going to tell me, Sei-chan?"

"I wouldn't want to spoil the story for you, Hokuto-chan."

"Ooooh! You're so mean!"

Subaru stood up.

"Eh? Subaru?"

He walked over to the phone as if he didn't hear his sister's voice. Subaru looked through his address book, found the number he wanted, and dialed. The phone rang a long time before someone answered.

"Detective Yamakawa? It's Subaru Sumeragi. I'm very sorry to be bothering you this late, but. . .Yes, Yamakawa-san, it's about the Kigai case. I have a question for you. . .Yes, that's right. . .Who found the body, Yamakawa-san?"

Seishiro tilted his head to one side and smiled at Hokuto, as if to say, "You see?" Hokuto, who was still annoyed with him about the book, stuck her tongue out at him.

-X X X-

Eiji Sakamoto, as always, arrived promptly for work at World Pacific International. His office, which had been sealed off by the police earlier in the week as a crime scene, was open now as the detectives and lab technicians had finished with their fruitless examinations. Only the spiritualist that Kigai had sent him for had discovered anything useful, and even so it had led to no arrests. Sakamoto still found it surprising that a modern corporation should consult the Sumeragi family so readily; he was having trouble adapting to this new information about his superiors. The thought that they, and police detectives as well, would consider magic to be a valid solution to problems was completely outside of Sakamoto's world-view about how things should work in the modern age. Thankfully, with his office open again, there was a good chance that in the coming days he could get back into the normal routine of his life.

Sakamoto opened the door, and his heart nearly stopped. Facing him in an arc in front of his desk were President Kigai, Detective Yamakawa, and Subaru Sumeragi. All three of them were glaring coldly at him.

"Come in, Sakamoto-san," Kigai told him, the stress in his voice revealing that he was barely controlling his emotions.

"W-what is this?"

"Why did you kill Mirei-san?" Subaru asked bluntly. "What did she ever do to you that you would want her dead?"

Sakamoto licked his lips nervously. He didn't do well when caught off-guard. He needed time to plan, to settle himself. They couldn't arrest him, could they? Murder by magic wasn't a crime that they could try and punish him for, was it? Besides, he hadn't actually done anything, not really. . .

Then his eyes took in Kigai's face, and he realized that, regardless of the legal outcome, Sakamoto's career was finished. His vice-presidency was doomed; he would be fired, blacklisted. He might escape the law, but not the truth.

Sakamoto sagged into his chair.

"I. . .I didn't kill her. I. . .he told me that all I had to do was put the censer in my office, light the incense, send Mirei in, and take the censer out again after she was dead. He said that I couldn't be connected to the crime. . ."

"Why?" Kigai asked, rage and sorrow mingling, wearing away at his control. "Why did you have her killed, Sakamoto?"

Sakamoto ran his hand through his thinning hair. He had not missed that Kigai had dropped the honorific this time.

"I. . .I was attracted to her; I made advances, and she rejected me." He raised his head to look Kigai full in the face. "She was going to tell you about it! I knew that if you learned I had treated your niece in such a way, it would have meant the end of my career advancement--I would have never been promoted if you knew that I was forcing my attentions on her. . .so I did the only thing I could think of. I couldn't kill her myself; I don't have the nerve. . .so I hired an assassin. I thought that by killing her with magic, it would be foolproof--but then you called in him!" He pointed accusingly at Subaru.

"You never understood anything," Kigai growled. "You were never in contention for promotion anyway, Sakamoto. You never had any ability to think creatively; without it, you were never fit for anything more than your current role. You murdered Mirei-chan for nothing."

While Sakamoto was reeling from this shock, Yamakawa stepped forward.

"Murder by magical means may not be recognized by the Japanese courts," he told the salaryman, "but it certainly is a crime to hire an assassin to commit murder, no matter that the assassin chose. . .unorthodox methods to use. We may, however, consider a deal if you are willing to give us the name of the person you hired."

Slowly, Sakamoto nodded, overwhelmed by hopelessness, and told them. Yamakawa beckoned, and his prisoner went with him through the open door. The office staff, who had heard every word, could not help staring in amazement at their former boss.

-X X X-

Nabuo Taki lived in an ordinary home, not unlike the kind that many fairly well-off families throughout Tokyo inhabited. He had a wife and a three-year-old son, both of whom he loved and tried to provide the best possible life for. To his family, Taki's occupation was "consultant," an independent expert hired by corporations for specific jobs when their own internal resources were inadequate. The fact was, however, that the jobs he took invariably resulted in death.

Taki was busy in his private study that morning. His wife was out shopping; she had taken their son with her because when her husband was at work on a project he generally could not be interrupted to look after the boy. He could have explained to her the reason for that, the potential for disaster when certain spells and enchantments were left half-finished, but he preferred that she not know the truth about his life. She was a moral person at heart, and would not have understood or accepted the reality of what her husband was.

Taki's current project was the construction of a cursed amulet that would cause catastrophic mechanical breakdowns if placed into, say, the engine of an industrial earth-mover. Curses were very tricky things, because such maledictions also operated against their caster, rebounding upon them with dangerous, even lethal magical backlash. Thus, while creating the amulet Taki not only had to make certain that the curse was done properly but also that the backlash was channeled away from himself. He was capable of managing it, though; after all, he was a properly trained sorcerer and not an amateur.

"Nice workmanship," a faintly amused-sounding voice cut into Taki's concentration.

Taki's head spun around. No one should have been able to walk into his workroom uninvited; it was hedged around with kekkai, magical wards that not only prevented entry, but for anyone other than his wife and son would deliver a devastating, potentially fatal attack. Suddenly, horror flooded through the assassin, as he realized that the interruption had broken off his concentration on the amulet. The spell was coming apart, and when it did the results would be savagely violent--and directed against him.

"Oh, dear, I seem to have interrupted your little spell. That does look like it will be painful."

Taki wasted no time bandying words; he immediately began a shielding incantation to protect himself.

"Don't waste your time; I'll deal with that," the intruder said, his voice almost siblant in its mockery. He held out one hand, palm upwards; Taki could actually feel the gathered magical energies in the air lose their shape, swirling into a single incandescent point above the man's palm.

Then. the intruder closed his fist, and the energy was snuffed, gone like a candle flame doused by a puff of wind.

"See? No more trouble."

"Who--who are you?"

"A messenger. I just thought I'd tell you that the police will be on their way here soon to arrest you for murder. I must admit, it would make an interesting trial, but I'm not sure how the public would deal with it. Assassins who use magic to kill are certainly not the usual kind of thing to find on the front page next to political speeches and environmental disasters."

Taki snarled.

"So what makes you so eager to help me?"

"Help you?" The intruder blinked in surprise. "Oh, you misunderstand completely." His lips curved into a beautiful, mocking smile. "I'm here to kill you. Magic is really not a matter for the masses to worry about--and besides, the fact that you were willing to do the work of a toad like Eiji Sakamoto offends me. Even an assassin should have some pride, Taki."

Again, Taki wasted no time on words, but quickly began to incant a lethal spell, to conjure up his shikigami to fight for him. Fear had him in its grip, though; the level of power his opponent had shown, disrupting his kekkai and the chaotic force of the broken spell with apparent ease, was far beyond anything Taki could handle.

The intruder crossed the room and seized the assassin, tightly gripping the man's throat. Taki's incantation died away, the energies silenced by a rush of power from the man holding him. Helplessly, he struggled against the iron grip that choked him, but could do nothing as, silently, his captor bent forward and kissed him. His lips were like ice against the assassin's, spreading a numbing cold through Taki's form. Mirei's killer barely noticed, so dulled were his senses, as the man's right hand crashed into Taki's chest and ripped his heart out.

-X X X-

In the skies above Nabuo Taki's home, the shadowy form of a black eagle keened once, then spread its wings to return to its master.


	6. Chapter 6

"So when you and the police arrived at Nabuo Taki's home, he was already dead?" Seishiro asked.

Subaru nodded.

"Someone had murdered him," he affirmed, "someone who was capable of breaking through his protective kekkai."

"An assassin's life has its inherent dangers," Seishiro pointed out. "His victims would have friends and relatives who might want revenge. Too, his path would cross many shady characters--yakuza, crooked politicians, and that sort. Furthermore, he would no doubt have professional rivals, especially as he was also an onmyouji."

"That's certainly true, Seishiro-san. . ."

"It's such an anticlimax, though!" Hokuto protested, bringing the tea tray out from the kitchen. "No arrests, no police standoff, no magical duels between the hero and the villain. . .If a TV writer tried to get away with an ending like that, the producer would fire him on the spot!"

Hokuto poured the tea, then sat down and picked up her cup.

"This is very good, Hokuto-chan," her brother said, taking a sip.

"Of course! What kind of big sister would greet her brother's triumphant return after finishing a difficult job with poorly-made tea?" She laughed heartily, before her face settled into an angry expression. "It makes my blood boil, to think of that rat Sakamoto, though. To force his attentions on his assistant, of all things! And then, to cover up his stupid and vicious actions, he hires an assassin to kill the girl--not even man enough to do his own dirty work!"

Hokuto scowled.

"Do you really think that the police will be able to hold him for his crime? After all, to say in open court that a criminal defendant hired an onmyouji to kill Mirei-san. . ."

"I expect that they will arrange some kind of plea bargain," suggested Seishiro. He glanced out the window; the sun had set, leaving the night sky the same dark color as his sunglasses. "If it came to a trial, then they could simply lie."

"Lie?" Subaru asked, shocked.

"Of course. The girl was brutally murdered; there is no chance a lawyer could argue it was a natural death, suicide, or accident. Sakamoto-san confessed that he hired Nabuo Taki to kill her. The assassin is conveniently dead, so there is no one to argue on his behalf about how he was able to accomplish the murder. If Sakamoto-san's defense attorneys tried to raise the subject of spells and curses, they would be laughed out of court."

Seishiro folded his hands in his lap.

"Sakamoto-san is three things:" he said, "a criminal, a fool, and a man without connections to help him. Invariably, society finds a way to punish those who fall so far outside its standards. At least in this case, justice cannot help but be served."

"Seishiro-san. . ."

"And all thanks to Subaru," Hokuto crowed. "If you hadn't realized that Sakamoto could walk in and out of his own office without taking any special notice of him, the poor girl's death might have gone unavenged forever!"

"But it was Seishiro-san who actually had the idea. . ."

"Nonsense," the older man said, slipping an arm around the boy's shoulders. "All I did was raise some idle thoughts; it was you who deduced the truth. Besides, Subaru-kun, if it hadn't been for you, no one would have known how Mirei-san was killed. The investigation would never have even gotten started."

Even Subaru couldn't help but smile at the open affirmation he received from the two of them.

"Thank you, both of you."

Subaru's doorbell rang, cutting into the conversation.

"I'll get it," Hokuto said, hopping to her feet. It was good she did, since when she opened the door, Jack Delevant was there, holding flowers.

"Jack!"

"Hello, Hokuto."

"Please come in."

She stood aside and let the American into the apartment.

"Here, these are for you," Jack said, handing her the flowers.

"Thank you, they're really pretty. I love roses! Oh, um, this is my brother Subaru--you've seen him before, of course--and this is our friend, Seishiro Sakurazuka."

"It's nice to meet you, Subaru, Mr. Sakurazuka. I saw you both at the World Pacific International offices, of course, but I'm glad to be formally introduced."

Subaru smiled back.

"I'm glad to meet you too, Delevant-san."

"I'm sorry to disturb you; I tried Hokuto's door first, but when there was no answer, I thought she might be here."

"Good thinking;" agreed Seishiro, "the Sumeragi twins are usually together when Subaru-kun's work isn't separating them.

Jack grinned.

"Well. . ." he said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to separate them for a while." He turned to Hokuto and smiled at her, eyes fervent. His hand gently tipped her chin up so their faces looked full into one another. "I have an interest in getting one of them alone, you see."

Seishiro gave the young foreigner his good-hearted smile.

"A man after my own heart," he said. "I, too, have an interest in separating the twins." He put his other arm around Subaru, embracing him.

"S-Seishiro-san. . ." stammered the young onmyouji, embarassed.

"Well, then, we're in complete agreement, Mr. Sakurazuka," Delevant said, returning Seishiro's grin. "Oh, by the way, Subaru, congratulations on solving Mirei's murder. Everyone at the office is much happier now, knowing that Sakamoto will get what he deserves."

"That--it was nothing special," Subaru replied graciously. Delevant wasted no further time on conversation, but swept Hokuto out of Subaru's apartment and across the hall to hers.

"So," Seishiro murmured, his smile changing from friendly to intense almost instantaneously, "we're finally alone, Subaru-kun." His lips were close to Subaru's ear, almost touching, and the young man could feel the warm breath tickling his skin.

Subaru blushed, but only faintly. He turned his head, until he looked directly into his lover's face. It was strange, he reflected, seeing Seishiro with sunglasses hiding his eyes. He was used to seeing the intensity of Seishiro's expression mirrored in his gaze, but the dark lenses sealed everything off, like a wall raised between them. Yet, despite that, Subaru could feel the emotional force emanating from the older man.

"Seishiro-san. . ."

"I've wanted this for a long time, Subaru-kun. . .For nearly one year, I've tried to convince you that I loved you, to try to awaken the same feelings in you." His lips brushed Subaru's forehead. "Even though your sister supported me, you always resisted. Only with the shock of me losing this eye, did you come to return my feelings openly. Yet, even so, until this moment, we've never been able to express that love. Your pure heart would never allow you to spend time on your own relationships while others were depending on you. Now. . .your work complete. . .your sister busy with her own romance. . ."

Subaru tilted his face up, and Seishiro kissed him gently on the lips.

"Seishiro-san. . ."

Seishiro looked over the top of his glasses at the young man, and gently stroked Subaru's temple. Subaru's consciousness swam, and his eyes fluttered shut. Seishiro gently laid him back onto the couch.

"It's too bad, really, that I haven't the time now, but. . ."

He rose to his feet.

". . .your sister's new love reminds me too much of myself. . ."

Seishiro turned back, and gazed down at the sleeping young man, a smile playing about his lips.

"Subaru-kun. . ."

-X X X-

Hokuto finally settled for putting the roses into a fairly tall teapot full of water.

"Between myself and my brother, if we keep dating, I'm going to have to buy a vase or two!"

Jack chuckled.

"Oh, don't worry, Hokuto; I plan to drown you in flowers." He rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him with light pressure. "Do you know," he said softly, "I don't think I've ever seen eyes like yours before. Green eyes, full of mystery, and in a Japanese face, too. The contrast is amazing; it makes your face look twice as beautiful."

Hokuto smiled.

"You really think I'm beautiful, Jack?"

"Of course."

"Then, why don't you show me?"

"Show you?" he asked.

"Like this." Hokuto wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a long, warm kiss. When she finally broke it off, Delevant smiled wickedly at her.

"I doubt that would have been your brother's approach."

"I may be his twin, but I'm not Subaru."

"Well, it's obvious that I have the pick of the two."

He kissed her back, long and hard and deep. His mouth devoured hers, consuming her senses. It should have sent fire through her, yet for some reason Jack's lips seemed cold, almost like ice. . .a cold that, somehow, seemed to be flowing into Hokuto's body, numbing her limbs, enclosing her heart in a frozen grip.

"Do you know, Hokuto," he said softly, "I think I will actually regret this. I truly do care for you...but I need your life energy more than I need your love. Your death will mean another year of life for me."

"So why," Seishiro asked conversationally, "didn't the assassin you killed today provide the energy you needed?"

Delevant spun, surprised, letting the senseless form of the girl drop from his arms.

Seishiro flicked his lighter, igniting a cigarette, seemingly unconcerned as he waited for his answer.

Delevant chuckled softly.

"Professional curiosity?" he asked.

"If you like," Seishiro replied, shrugging.

"The lives of sorcerers past a certain level of ability are shielded by their own inherent magic. I can drain the power of their spells and turn it against them, but I can't touch their life itself. So, I have to drain minor magicians like Hokuto to survive."

"A curious restriction. I'm not sure if I've ever encountered a creature live you before."

The American shrugged.

"Merely the price of power. As a teenager, I saw my parets murdered by magic. I sought a way to get revenge. I studied books, trained, and finally found a way to overcome the spells my enemy used. . .only, because I was just an amateur then, I made mistakes in using what I had learned."

"Ahh, I see; you absorbed the countermagic within your own life force, and so you are forced to feed it or it will consume your own life."

Jack nodded.

"It's the old story; the desire for revenge exacting an ironic price. It's almost a cliche."

"So why did you kill Nabuo Taki, then?"

"Mirei Kigai was a nice girl; I liked her. I didn't trust the government to make sure that Taki paid for killing her. So, while the detectives were arranging the proper warrants, I went to his house first and dealt with him. Besides. . .I was hoping that I could feed off him rather than Hokuto. . ."

"I wish that you had; it would have spared us the trouble of this confrontation."

"You are going to try to protect Hokuto?"

Seishiro reached up and slipped off his glasses, tucking them into his pocket.

"If his sister died, it would hurt Subaru. . .and I play out my bets until the end."

He gestured, and the two men were suddenly plunged into a world of absolute blackness.

"Illusion. . ." Delevant sensed immediately. "Impressive. You realize, of course, that even as we speak, I'm eating away at the substance of your magic, and in a few minutes this will all break down." There was no fear in his voice, only abstract contemplation.

"Then, it would seem to be a matter of using sufficient force to overload your defenses before you can drain away mine," Seishiro's voice seemed to echo from everywhere around Delevant, before huge chunks of the darkness broke away like boulders and hurled themselves at the American.

-X X X-

Pain.

It exploded through Subaru, shocking him out of unconciousness. He had no idea what had happened, or why he was alone, but those questions were irrelevant next to the vision that had burned itself into his mind.

"Seishiro-san!" he screamed.

Seishiro, his body bleeding. . .hurled across Hokuto's apartment.

Subaru did not stop to consider whether the vision was real, a portent of the future, an impression of the present, or a trap sent by some enemy. He only jumped to his feet and ran at full speed across the hall, throwing open Hokuto's door.

The vision was real.

Seishiro lay crumpled next to the door, his face smeared with blood. Hokuto was there too, lying on her back in the doorway to the kitchen. Jack Delevant stood in the center of the hall, breathing heavily, his beautiful face bruised, sweat standing out on his skin.

"Seishiro-san! Hokuto-chan!"

Delevant grinned wryly.

"You, too. Well, I was expecting that, sooner or later." He beckoned to the young onmyouji. "Come on. Let's see what you have to offer."

Subaru snatched to ofuda from his coat pocket and hurled the slips of paper at Delevant. The charms glowed incandescently, transforming themselves into two lithe falcons that dove at the American, talons outstretched, but before they could strike, they faded, melting away until they were only paper once again. Jack smiled wolfishly.

"You'll have to do better than that," he said, and began to advance on Subaru, his deadly hands outstretched. He lunged; Subaru ducked out of the way and began to prepare another spell, then reconsidered and broke it off. Instead, he dashed forward, under Delevant's arms, and slashed the edge of his hand against the blond man's neck. All Jack's power of countermagic was utterly useless against the purely physical attack; he crumpled unconcious to the floor.

-X X X-

Seishiro's good eye fluttered open. His head, he realized, was cradled in Subaru's lap.

"Subaru-kun?"

"Seishiro-san! Don't talk; the ambulance is on its way."

"Don't worry, Subaru-kun; it's only my eye--and after all, it was already blind; there wasn't much more that he could do to it. I expect the doctors at the hospital will be getting tired of bandaging it up for me. Is Hokuto-chan. . ."

"She's fine," Subaru told him, tears of relief filling his eyes as he heard Seishiro's voice. "She's a little weak, but she'll be her old self again by tomorrow."

Seishiro smiled faintly.

"That's good. What about the American?"

"Once he was unconcious, I was able to unbind the power that he had absorbed into his soul, because it was not natural to him. He's not a threat any more, although he'll still have to answer for his crimes."

"If I were him, I'd be more worried about answering to Hokuto-chan..." Seishiro said, then closed his eyes. His breathing became even and regular, as he appeared to lapse into sleep. Subaru's gloved hand gently stroked his hair.

Tomorrow, Seishiro thought, our one year is up, Subaru-kun.

"I'll come visit you tomorrow," Subaru told him softly, "so you don't get lonely staying at the hospital."


End file.
